Number of homeless soars

Due to a series of difficult circumstances, this year, Petaluma resident Michael Crider found himself on the brink of homelessness.

"I'm a carpenter, and suffered a hand injury at my job in May of 2010, so my employer let me go. I wasn't able to find another job, and my disability ran out around last Christmas, so I wasn't able to pay my rent any more," he said.

Crider, 46, sought help from the Committee on the Shelterless, which has provided him, his wife and their two children with an affordable apartment through its family transitional housing program.

"Now, I'm feeling much better about things," he said. "I need to find a job, which is hard to do right now, but I'm confident that things will get back to normal.

"And it helps that I'm close to a circle of friends that I met though the church I attend."

Crider is one of the 2,000 people who COTS serves annually, but it is facing unparalleled challenges while continuing to fulfill its mission by providing housing, food, counseling, job skills training, health care and other services for people in need.

The number of homeless people has soared by around 30 percent, to 465, in Petaluma during the past two years, said Michael Johnson, COTS' associate executive director. On any given night, COTS provides shelter for about 335 of them, and 80 to 100 people are on the waiting list.

"The wait is much worse than it was in 2009," Johnson said. "Then, people would need to wait three to 10 days. Now, they need to wait more than a month."

"We continue to see a change in the demographics, too," Records said. "I recently spoke with a guy in his late 50s, disabled, who has been middle-class for 40 years. He's now teetering on the edge of homelessness."

At the Mary Isaak Center, COTS provides transitional housing for homeless children and their families, as well as emergency shelter for homeless adults without children in their care. COTS also offers affordable housing options -?shared housing, Integrity Houses and Education Houses -?to position homeless families and single adults for successful independent living.

Education Houses are specialized, shared places that provide homeless parents with a chance to go back to school and increase their long-term earning potential. Integrity Houses are self-managed homes that are shared by clean and sober single adults.

COTS' housing and other programs have been hit hard by the economic downturn and policy changes that have cut funding from governmental organizations. This has required COTS to reorganize several of its facilities, and Records says that cutbacks will be necessary if it loses the $166,000 it was expecting this fiscal year in redevelopment funds.

The status of these funds will remain uncertain until the state Supreme Court issues a ruling -?expected in January -challenging the dissolution of redevelopment agencies throughout the state, with an option for cities and counties to retain them by paying an annual fee. The money could be retroactively be given in full to COTS if the court decides to retain redevelopment agencies, but in the meantime, COTS does not have access to it.

"We could deal with a cash-flow problem for six months, but if we lose the money, that would be catastrophic," Records said.

Yet, in the midst of this uncertainty and the economic downturn, COTS has continued to expand its services.

Two recent conferences, "Keeping Our Heads Above Water," sponsored by COTS, Petaluma People Services Center and Petaluma Adult School, were designed to help homeowners and renters meet financial challenges.

Also, COTS plans to implement a culinary arts training program, now that the Petaluma Kitchen has moved to the Mary Isaak Center.

"That will be a benefit of having new facilities, with modern equipment," Records said. "It's just in its embryonic form but it will provide a good entree for people into a culinary career.

"We also plan to have a coffee kiosk, where we will be able to train people to be baristas."

COTS is planning these additions as it maintains a staff of 35 full-time employees, 15 part-time employees - and around 300 volunteers per year. Records says that the number of volunteers has remained steady, despite the increasing economic challenges most Petalumans face.

"I'm so profoundly grateful that the people in our community are a part of our work, and have provided us with such great support," Records said.

Johnson remains confident that COTS will be able to continue to fulfill its mission.

"Generally, I have a sense of bright optimism, despite the fact that there have been a lot of bumps in the road and a lot of uncertainty. We keep moving forward, making a difference, despite the obstacles," he said.

"There's a force in the world called love that provides healing, sustenance and nurturing," Records added. "It is alive at COTS and in the community.

"Whatever shakes down, we'll find a way to keep COTS going. And it will be around long after Michael and me - COTS is bigger than any one person."

(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier.com)